Birthdays
by Becca the fiend
Summary: Two separate drabbles to celebrate a certain airhead's birthday. Both set post-series.
1. Drabble

**AN:** Wrote this some time ago for a tumblr drabble request.

**Prompt:** A drabble involving Nezumi, Shion and... candles? ouo

* * *

It's Shion's birthday, and Nezumi is determined to get this right. He's been back for nearly a year now, and he feels like he needs to do something special for the white-haired man. After the hell they'd been through, after the hell he put him through, this is the least he can do. Shion gave his best efforts, and now it's time for Nezumi to step up to the plate.

He asks Karan for help with dinner. She's a great cook, and Nezumi has been learning from her, but he still has a way to go. She even helps him out in coming up with the idea, and offers a distraction to keep Shion from coming home too early, by making sure he stops by her bakery on the way home. She insists she has something for him, and she will settle for nothing less than at least seeing her son on his 21st birthday.

Nezumi is grateful for her help as he sets the table for the two of them. She's a wise woman, really, and so very kind, just like her son. He suspects she knows how difficult this is for him. Relationships are not his strong point, for obvious reasons. But as this is also their anniversary of sorts, he knew it had to be special. He didn't tell her about the anniversary part, but Nezumi has a feeling that she simply knows. She's ar less oblivious than her son was.

Shion arrives home perfectly on schedule, just as Nezumi is lighting the candles. The white-haired man is visibly surprised at the intimate setting he's created - a candle-lit dinner for two, of course. Nezumi smiles at Shion.

"Welcome home, Shion."

Purple eyes come to rest on the cherry cake that's sitting on the table, waiting for dessert. He doesn't speak, a nostalgic smile creeping its way across his face. He moves forward and pulls his lover into a tight embrace.

"Happy birthday, Shion."


	2. Kiss

**AN:** Written and posted on Tumblr for Shion's birthday on September 7th, 2012.

* * *

It's been long enough that it's become a tradition by now. Shion is usually working – he's not one to take off work if it's not necessary, and it doesn't really bother Nezumi. Nezumi's schedule is a lot less certain, but without fail, he will make dinner every time – stew, and a cherry cake picked up from Karan's. He knows how to bake the cake on his own now, of course. But the idea never seemed to fit right. Perhaps just the nostalgia of the day in general, but it's not like Karan ever minded, anyway.

Today is the same, of course. Sometimes Shion arrives earlier than Nezumi, and he'll make dinner himself – Nezumi used to yell at him but has long since realized how futile his efforts were – but this time Nezumi is first.

Dinner is waiting for Shion when he arrives home. It's more or less much like their usual dinner routine. Idle chatter and the clattering of silverware against dishes fills the room with the sounds of life.

Afterwards, they sit together on the sofa, sitting in a comfortable silence. The time when any gifts would have been expected has long since passed, and now they simply spend the evening together. (Shion suspects Nezumi wouldn't have known what to get him in the first place.)

Nezumi breaks the silence unexpectedly.

"Shion."

Shion turns to face his companion, a question on his tongue. Nezumi stops him by leaning in, bringing their lips together.

It's not a long kiss – it's chaste. But it still speaks volumes. It's filled with the emotions that Nezumi – like Shion all those years ago – can't express with simple words. Shion feels the corners of his lips twitch upwards slightly.

"That's not a thank you kiss, is it?"

He knows very well by now what Nezumi means to say through that kiss. They aren't strangers anymore. They aren't awkward teenagers caught in the hell of reality, just trying their hardest to survive and pulling in two different directions anymore. But Shion knows his lines – he's gotten better at picking them up.

'_I still learn so much from you, Nezumi. Even now.'_

"It's an 'I love you' kiss," Nezumi answers easily. His lips are turned upward in a soft smile as he leans in closer, placing a second chaste kiss on Shion's lips. This time, he doesn't pull away.

"I love you, Shion," he breathes. "Happy birthday."


End file.
